Phoenix Suns

Also see List of current NBA players#Phoenix Suns. * Active. Bench. * * Player and manager. Starting Lineup. * Manager. He even traveled to Japan in 1991, when the Suns kicked off the 1991-1992 NBA season there with 2 games against the Jazz.
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It is worthy to note that every single Suns game in history has been covered both on local Phoenix TV and radio by the legendary broadcaster, Al McCoy, who has battled every kind of situation imaginable to keep doing his job every time his beloved Suns play. Drew. The Suns looked to bolster their defense during the summer. While unable to resign Beltre and keep Green, DePodesta was able to avoid arbitration and sign top closer Eric Gagne; and signed as free agents starting pitcher Derek Lowe away from the Boston Red Sox, and former Atlanta Braves outfielder J.D. The Spurs, twice holding the Suns to under 100 points, won the series 4-1, ending Phoenix's outstanding season. After the end of the season, DePodesta was unable to strike a deal with his top free agent, third baseman Adrian Beltre; opted not to resign fan favorite Lima; and only just managed to complete a trade of Shawn Green to the Arizona Diamondbacks. In the Western Conference Finals, they played the San Antonio Spurs, who had the league's best defense. Only a masterful performance by journeyman Jose Lima kept the Dodgers from being swept out of the playoffs.

The Suns swept the Memphis Grizzlies 4-0 and defeated the number four seeded Dallas Mavericks in the second round 4-2. Louis Cardinals. In the 2005 playoffs, Phoenix was seeded number one in the western conference, and because it owned the NBA's best record, was guarenteed home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. While the Dodgers did win the National League's Western Division in 2004, they lost in the Division Series to the eventual NL champion St. Shawn Marion, Diana Taurasi of the Phoenix Mercury, and former Suns player Dan Majerle won the Shooting Stars contest, Steve Nash won the Skills contest, Quentin Richardson and Joe Johnson both competed in the 3-Point Contest (with Richardson winning), Amare Stoudemire came in second in the Slam Dunk contest, and Nash, Marion, and Stoudemire all played in the game itself. To do this, at the mid-season trading deadline he traded popular players Paul LoDuca and Guillermo Mota to the Florida Marlins for starting pitcher Brad Penny and first baseman Hee Seop Choi; but he failed in his attempt to bring in Randy Johnson from division rival Arizona. The Suns also had a very large contingency of players competing in the NBA All-Star Game and the events that go with it. The Dodgers played an exciting, competitive brand of baseball during the first half of 2004, yet DePodesta felt something else was needed to vault the team into the postseason.

The Suns ended the 04-05 season as the team with the most points per game (110.4), the most threes per game (9.7), and the best three point percentage to match (39.3). Paul DePodesta was hired by McCourt as general manager before the start of the 2004 season; shortly before the start of the regular season, DePodesta engineered the acquisition of volatile yet talented outfielder Milton Bradley. The key to their success was their style of play, which heavily relied on the fast break, which is very uncommon in the current era of the NBA. sold the Dodgers to real estate developer Frank McCourt. The team was not expected to do nearly as well at the beginning of the season. In 2004, News Corp. Nash was voted the NBA MVP for the 2004-2005 season after the regular season ended. In the late 90's the O'Malley family sold the team to Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, owner of the Fox network and 20th Century Fox.

The team was led by the MVP-caliber play of point guard Steve Nash, acquired in the offseason, as well as returning players Amare Stoudemire and Shawn Marion. Walter O'Malley eventually passed control of the Dodgers to his son Peter, who managed the team on his family's behalf. This ties their franchise best record for the most wins, back when Barkley was first traded to the team. Perhaps his most replayed call is the one he made after the limping Kirk Gibson circled the basepaths following his legendary home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series: "In a season that has been so improbable, the impossible has happened!" (emphasis has). The 2004-05 season has been very successful, with the Suns finishing 62-20, the best record in the NBA. Fans of the Dodgers listening to his radio and TV broadcasts know and love his distinctive New York radio voice. The sale also included the Phoenix Mercury and Arizona Rattlers. Vin Scully has served as the official play-by-play announcer for the Dodgers since 1948, ten years before they even moved from Brooklyn.

In April 2004, the Phoenix Suns were sold to an investment group headed by tycoon Robert Sarver for $401 million dollars. By reputation, he has a famed love of Italian food and "bleeds 'Dodger Blue'." He has been with the club all his career, over 50 years, since the time he was a young pitcher (whose playing days didn't last very long). After the trade, the Suns continued to struggle, but the trade opened up opportunities for some of the Sun's young rising stars. Lasorda, who now serves the ballclub in an executive capacity and as an evangelist for all things Dodger-related, managed the club for 22 seasons, leading it to two World Series championships. Convinced that the team was going nowhere, the Suns made a blockbuster mid-season trade involving Stephon Marbury and Penny Hardaway. Perhaps two names connote "Los Angeles Dodgers" more than any other: Tommy Lasorda and (hometown broadcaster) Vin Scully. Following one of the worst preseasons in Suns franchise history, the Suns got off to a rocky start in the regular season. After his removal as club president, Robinson returned to managing and the club's performance rebounded somewhat.

In the 2003-2004 season, the Suns again found themselves out of the playoffs. Upon assuming the title of president, however, Robinson's ability to focus on the field declined, and the teams of the late 1920s became known as the "Daffiness Boys" for their distracted, error-ridden style of play. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year for the 2002-2003 season, during which the Suns posted a record of 44-38 and returned to the playoffs. Manager Wilbert Robinson, popularly known as "Uncle Robbie", restored the Brooklyn team to respectability, winning pennants in 1916 and 1920 and contending perennially for several seasons. His size and athleticism, along with a strong work ethic, have many anticipating him to join the ranks of Tracy McGrady, Kobe Bryant, and Kevin Garnett as the best NBA players to have jumped from high school to the pro ranks. He desired to replace the dilapidated Washington Park with a new ballpark, and again invested heavily to finance the construction of Ebbets Field, which would become the Dodgers' home in 1913. The 2002-2003 saw the emergence of Amare Stoudemire, who many have likened to future Hall of Fame power forward Karl Malone. Ebbets' ambition did not stop at owning the team.

Lottery-bound, however, the Suns were able to draft Amare Stoudemire. His plan was blocked by a lifelong club employee, Charles Ebbets, who put himself heavily in debt to buy the team and keep it in the borough. That season marked the trade of Jason Kidd, partly due to a publicized domestic violence account where he slapped his wife, to the New Jersey Nets for Stephon Marbury. In 1902 Hanlon expressed his desire to buy a controlling interest in the team and move it to Baltimore, then without a team. The Suns kept making the playoffs until the 2001-2002 campaign, when they fell short for the first time in 14 years. Eight years passed before any more success followed, when the Superbas, as they were then known won two successive pennats under Ned Hanlon in 1899 and 1900. While this was going on, Johnson retired, but he attempted a comeback to try to help the Suns during the 2000 playoffs. Upon switching to the National League in 1890, the franchise became the only one in MLB history to win pennants in different leagues in consecutive years.

Barkley was traded and the Suns began a downward spiral. After their first year they joined the American Association, which they won in 1889 (when they were usually known as the Bridegrooms). He was also present to see his number retired in 2004. After their formation in 1883, the first ten years of the Brooklyn club's history were clouded in uncertainty. Their feud has since been repaired, however, and Barkley appeared at a Suns home game in 2003. The Los Angeles Dodgers are a Major League Baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. They are in the Western Division of the National League. In 1996, Barkley's relationship with Colangelo grew sour and they trashed each other publicly. Ogden Raptors
Gulf Coast Dodgers.

The next couple of years saw the Suns waste 3 to 1 leads against the Houston Rockets and get eliminated by them both years. Columbus Catfish
Vero Beach Dodgers. They won 62 games that year, advancing to the NBA finals for the second time ever, where they lost in 6 games to the Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen-led Bulls. Jacksonville Suns. Former Boston Celtics member Danny Ainge was added to the mix and the Suns had a dynamic team that would be hard to stop. Las Vegas 51s. Hornacek was traded to Philadelphia in 1992 along with Andrew Lang for the flamboyant but productive Charles Barkley, probably a future Hall of Famer himself. National League
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Kurt Rambis was added from the Charlotte Hornets in 1989, and the team caused a shocking upset by beating the Los Angeles Lakers in 5 games that season before falling to the Portland Trail Blazers in the western conference finals. Sullivan, The Dodgers Move West. In 1988, Tom Chambers came over from Seattle, Jeff Hornacek was signed, Dan Majerle was drafted with the 14th pick in the draft, which they obtained from Cleveland in the Kevin Johnson trade, and the team began a 13 year playoff streak. Neil J. It was in this trade that the Suns gave up popular power forward Larry Nance. Jackie Robinson, I Never Had It Made. That all began to change in 1987, though, with the acquisition through a trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers of Kevin Johnson and Mark West. Roger Kahn, The Boys of Summer and The Era.

The next few years for the Suns weren't as good, as a drug scandal rocked the organization in 1987, and the franchise was having a hard time putting wins together. Harvey Froemmer, New York City Baseball. Game 5 was a triple-overtime classic that is considered by many to be the greatest game in NBA history. Peter Golenbock, Bums: An Oral History of the Brooklyn Dodgers. They finished the season with 42 wins and 40 losses, but shockingly they beat the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors in the playoffs and went on to play the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals, giving the Celtics a tough battle before falling in 6 games. Creamer, Stengel: His Life and Times. In 1976, the year the movie Rocky was released, the Suns proved to be a real-life, basketball version of Rocky. Robert W.

The brainchild of former Chicago Bulls assistant coach and Arizona sports magnate Jerry Colangelo, the Suns in the 1970s had mild success, combining the talents of such players like Dick Van Arsdale (The Original Sun), his twin brother Tom Van Arsdale, Hall of Famer Connie Hawkins, Len "Truck" Robinson, Alvan Adams, and center Neal Walk, who sadly, in 1974 had a car accident that left him paralyzed. Red Barber, Rhubarb in the Catbird Seat. The Suns came to the Valley of the Sun in 1968, but they have yet to win an NBA Title. They began with a victory over the Seattle SuperSonics on opening night. Pitching saves: Eric Gagné, 160 *. The Phoenix Suns are a National Basketball Association team based in Phoenix, Arizona. Pitching ERA: Jeff Pfeffer, 2.31. Amare Stoudemire. Pitching strikeouts: Don Sutton, 2696.

Quentin Richardson. Pitching wins: Don Sutton, 233. Steve Nash. Strikeouts: Duke Snider, 1123. Shawn Marion. Walks: Pee Wee Reese, 1210. Joe Johnson. Stolen bases: Maury Wills, 490.

Cotton Fitzsimmons (coach). Triples: Zack Wheat, 171. Joe Proski (trainer). Doubles: Zack Wheat, 464. 44 Paul Westphal. Hits: Zack Wheat, 2804. 42 Connie Hawkins. Runs: Pee Wee Reese, 1338.

34 Charles Barkley. RBI: Duke Snider, 1271. 33 Alvan Adams. Home runs: Duke Snider, 389. 24 Tom Chambers. Batting average: Willie Keller, .352. 9 Dan Majerle. Pitching saves: Eric Gagné, 55 (2003) *.

7 Kevin Johnson. Pitching ERA: Rube Marquard, 1.58 (1916). 6 Walter Davis. Pitching strikeouts: Sandy Koufax, 382 (1965). 5 Dick Van Arsdale. Pitching wins: Bob Caruthers, 40 (1889). Stephon Marbury. Strikeouts: Billy Grabarkewitz, 149 (1970).

Danny Ainge. Walks: Eddie Stanky, 148 (1945). Cedric Ceballos. Hitting streak: Willie Davis, 31 games (1969). Larry Nance. Stolen bases: Maury Wills, 104 (1962). Kevin Johnson. Triples: George Treadway, 26 (1894).

Jason Kidd. Doubles: Johnny Frederick, 52 (1929). Neal Walk. Hits: Babe Herman, 241 (1930). Jeff Hornacek. Runs: Hub Collins, 148 (1890). Anfernee Hardaway. RBI: Tommy Davis, 153 (1962).

Rex Chapman. Home runs: Shawn Green, 49 (2001). Charles Barkley. Batting average: Babe Herman, .390 (1930). Dan Majerle. GCL Dodgers (Rookie, Gulf Coast League). Jerry Colangelo. Ogden Raptors (Rookie, Pioneer League).

Connie Hawkins. Columbus Catfish (A, South Atlantic League). C - #43 Jake Voskuhl (UConn). Vero Beach Dodgers (High-A, Florida State League). SF - #17 Paul Shirley (Iowa State). Jacksonville Suns (AA, Southern League). F - #46 Bo Outlaw (Houston). Las Vegas 51s (AAA, Pacific Coast League).

PF - #0 Walter McCarty (Kentucky). Tommy Lasorda (1983 and 1988). SG - #21 Jim Jackson (Ohio State). 1988 - Orel Hershiser. C - #45 Steven Hunter (DePaul). 1984 - Steve Garvey. PG - #10 Leandro Barbosa (Brazil). 1981 - Burt Hooton.

PF - #32 Amare Stoudemire (Cypress Creek HS, Orlando, Florida). 1978 - Steve Garvey. SF - #31 Shawn Marion (UNLV). NL Championship Series